Superinfection

As superinfection ( Latin super "about"), even hyper infection ( ancient Greek ὑπέρ hyper "about"), closer in, real sense in which it is virology a form of virus type infection referred to, which is due to a still incomplete immune response to a recent infection with the same Pathogen is coming.

As a rule, however, in medicine - and partly also in microbiology  - the word “superinfection” is understood to mean that a viral infection provides the basis for an additional bacterial infection (rarely the other way round). In this context, the term superinfection is used here as a form of secondary infection .

One normally speaks of a superinfection when pathogens appear in quick succession (i.e. slightly shifted in time). A superinfection is an infection that takes place while the patient is suffering from another infection or is being treated.

There can be a superinfection with bacteria, viruses, etc.

Useful examples

HIV superinfection

An example in the narrower sense is re-infection with a different HIV strain in HIV-positive patients. Some well-documented clinical case reports, as well as animal experiments, show that such a superinfection with another strain of HIV is real. The clinical consequences of such a superinfection with another strain of the HI virus are still unclear. However, this superinfection probably leads to a decrease in CD4 cells , increased viraemia , accelerated progression of the disease and therapy- resistant HI viruses.

When affected by a flue

During the course of a cold , which is always caused by a viral infection, a yellow-green secretion in the sputum is usually a sign of a bacterial superinfection.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ JT Blackard, KE Sherman: Hepatitis C virus coinfection and superinfection. In: The Journal of Infectious Diseases , February 15, 2007, Vol. 195, No. 4, pp. 519-524, PMID 17230411 .
2. ↑ DM Smith, DD Richman, SJ Little: HIV superinfection . In: The Journal of Infectious Diseases , August 1, 2005, Vol. 192, No. 3, pp. 438-444, PMID 15995957 .
3. ↑ cough; What's next - Course and complications. On: aponet.de last accessed on January 2, 2014.

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !